Red Light
by its-sora
Summary: AU STORY. Roxas Kaipo lives two lives, one of the dutiful twin brother, the other of a night club dancer called Roxanne. When Riku Toan, a hospital volunteer, meets him, Roxas realizes that to save his brother, he has to save him self: RikuRoku AkuSora
1. 0: Roxanne

Long time no posting from me! This is Carly, formally known as astroalchemist!! This is my new RikuRoku story called 'Red Light' It's about Roxas, Sora's twin brother, trying to raise money for a surgery to get rid of Sora's lung cancer. Either way, it's AU and rated R, so if you can't handle adult themes and language, please don't read.

Also, if you don't like the pairing, don't review and tell me. I don't take kindly to flames of any sort, so please, don't put them on my fic. 3

Hope you guys like!!

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It was a cool night. That fact was unfortunate for the blond who was walking down the street because it seemed that this person didn't have a jacket on them tonight…or may have forgotten it. Either way, the blond was wearing something that left little to the imagination, red in color. Long blond hair was in a plait hanging down their back, and high heeled shoes clicked on the sidewalk loudly, but not loud enough to shut out the cat calls of passersby.

If they only knew…

Appearance wise, it seemed like this person was a girl. The long hair, apparel, make up around the eyes and softly on the lips, the long leg and high heels…however, even though this person walked like a woman, and easily sounded like a woman, it wasn't a woman. Most people never found out that it was just a 17 year old boy hiding behind a mask of cover girl, wigs and stilettos. Most people never found out that even though he walked into a club each night and danced his heart out for what little money he received, he was actually doing it for someone else.

The make up, the miniskirts, and all the hiding was all…

For him.

Stepping into the back door, the blond was bombarded by a bunch of woman, all of them hurrying him to the dressing room to doll him up more before he was to appear on stage. At this club, he never had to be stripped of his clothing, because as far as the owner knew, he was a lady. ..

That's as far as most people knew.

"Oh Roxas, I told you not to wear this silly wig," said one woman, using his real name, "It's so gross! Here, use mine."

Donning a now brunet wig, Roxas started at his now curly hair that was being pulled up, noting how much he suddenly looked like _him_. It even pained him to see that face in the mirror, much less in that white bed, with white walls around him.

_This isn't something that's just popped up, Mr. Kaipo…_

Roxas could remember that day…the day when this all started one year ago.

_I'm surprised it hasn't grown that much since a year ago…He's very lucky._

It was plaguing him, now that he was being ushered to the front stage. The blond-now-brunet could hear the announcer as he pulled down his sparkling mini skirt. Sighing, Roxas could hear his stage name 'Roxanne' being called and that meant one thing…

That it was show time.

Stepping seductively onto the stage, the boy was deafened by the cat calls and cheers, but paid them no mind, keeping on the mask of indifference. His thoughts were always some place else now, since it happened.

_There has to be something I can do for him! He's the only family I have left… _

The only family…that's right. Everyone else died. _He_ was it.

_Well, there is the surgery…_

He agreed to do this, so he must. It was all for him…Sora. It was hard, to watch his brother become more sick by the day. That's where he was right now, at the hospital. Sitting in that bed, alone. Sora never knew what Roxas did for the money. Sure, the orphanage helped, but that's because they were still underage. However, the orphanage could only pay for so much, and the surgery wasn't one of the options.

_Why can't you help? He's my brother!_

So Roxas learned to depend on himself to get the money. If no one wanted to help, then he would do it on his own. If he had to work three jobs for the money, he would. If he had to do this dancing for the money, he would. Hell, if he had to sell his own soul for the money, he would.

Sora was all he had left…and as his brother, Roxas had to take care of him, no matter what. That's the role he had to play, during that day. At night, Roxanne was his part in this twisted play, and he was acting it out perfectly.

Roxanne was the girl to be admired, with her cold eyes and glares, with her dancing and teasing, with her stubborn resolve that no man could ever get past. No one touched Roxanne.

No one.


	2. 1: Cold As Ice

Hey Guys Long time, no posting. I've been doing a lot of posting on my LiveJournal though!! Anyway, here is chapter one!! Hope you like it!!

Remember to review!!

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It was a warmer, the next day. Roxas woke up, looking up to his sleeping brother, noticing that the brunet was breathing easier this morning than he had the night before. The blond was still in his halter top and skirt, because Sora was asleep, but a long black blanket was covering him up. Sitting up completely, he noticed that he had fallen asleep face first on the couch in the room. 

It was a rough night last night for Sora…after Roxas had gone to 'work', the club phone rang and it was Axel, saying that Sora was having another breathing fit. Hurrying out with complete disregard to his clothing, Roxas had gotten there after Sora had fallen asleep. The red haired best friend didn't ask about Roxas' attire, as he ran in and ripped off the wig.

Axel, despite his faults, was their only friend. Ever since their parents died, the now 19 year old was their first friend at the orphanage. While he was working for a carnival, as a fire blower (a job Sora often claimed was the coolest ever), he also went to school during the day at the local college. Roxas was thankful though, that their best friend stayed here at night while Roxas went to work…

Moreover, for the fact that Axel never told Sora what Roxas did to get that money.

It wasn't like Roxas had gotten a ton of money. If anything happened with Sora, the blond would come running to tend to his family first, and that was probably why he was still in the shimmering miniskirt, and the wig was lying in a bag beside the couch. Sighing, Roxas rummaged through the bag and discovered Axel had brought him clothes as well. Thanking the red head mentally, Roxas hurried to the bathroom and changed, walking out and throwing the clothes back into the bag, shutting it up quickly.

Looking back at his brother, the boy sat on the edge of the bed. Sora looked pale from last night and his breathing was shallow again. Holding the brunet's hand, the grip on his own was tightened. That's what it did to his brother. When they were children, their parents took them to a lot of bars, and smoked in the house, and didn't mind their children. Sora took care of his brother by figuring out how to ask the bartenders for food, and how to fix things for them at the house. But, their parents died in a car crash just seven years previous…being drunk while driving.

However, Sora had some how gotten lung cancer from second hand smoke and was already in stage two. Roxas wanted to repay his brother for all he had done so far…but he wanted to make sure that his brother got the best care possible. That's why he was in the hospital. Being at the orphanage for so long…it was doing more harm than good recently. Their only, true home, paid for all the in patient bills. The best care meant the surgery to get the cancer removed, and that was something the orphanage wasn't willing to pay.

So, every night, Roxas went out to his night job, where he was a dancer for the Oblivion Club. The dancer's name, though, was Roxanne. No one knew about Roxanne, save for the girls who worked there and Axel (after having catching Roxas walk in with his makeup still on).

Yawning greatly, Roxas laid down on the bed beside his now easily breathing brother, and allowed him to curl up to him, still holding hands.

Roxas might not have the money yet, but he sure would work hard to his goal. Even if everyone around him offered help, he had to refuse, because he had to do it himself. No one else wanted to help…so it was just them.

For now…

Deciding that he thought too much, Roxas finally fell back asleep, Sora curled up gently beside him, their hands clasped tightly together.

* * *

"This is the front nurse's desk," said the auburn haired nurse to a tall, silver haired boy, pointing to the two parallel desks in the middle of the floor, "If you ever need anything, please just come and see us!" 

The teenager nodded, straightening out his blue collared shirt as he looked around. He was a volunteer to this hospital, and had been assigned to the intensive care unit, which was where his mother was a doctor. Looking over at the nurse's board, he noticed only two patients were written down. Their names were 'Sora' and someone named 'Seifer'.

"May I go see the patients?" he asked politely, eager to start this job. As it was summer now, before he started college in the fall, his mother suggested that instead of a summer job that he volunteered instead, getting the hours to look good on college resumes. The nurse nodded but took him over to the first room, the one label for the 'Sora' patient.

"This is Sora Kaipo," the nurse explained, her hand on the door knob, "He's been fighting lung cancer for almost two years now…He's been here for about a month, as he cannot breath properly. Also, his brother, Roxas, stays here all day, and works at night, since it's summer. "

The taller boy nodded, wondering why he needed to know about the brother…

"It's the brother you should worry about…not Sora."

She opened the door, and that was all she said before she deftly pushed him inside. The boy looked back as she smiled at him.

"No one but your mother has ever been able to get past Roxas Kaipo's attitude," said the nurse, quietly, "I hope you have the same luck, Riku."

Riku turned back around and walked fully into the room, seeing that the brunet on the bed was wide awake, but the blond was certainly asleep. Happy blue eyes met his, and he was greeted with a grand smile. This one must be Sora.

"I'm Riku Toan," he said, walking over to the bed. Riku's words were quiet and gentle, as not to wake up the other. "I'm the ICU volunteer for the summer…"

The brunet took in a deep breath, and it was shuddery, but strong still. "Hi, Riku," said the weak voice, "I'm Sora. It's nice to meet you!"

Upon the brunet's intake of breath, the blond awoke, took one weary look at Riku and sat up quickly, glaring. It was easy to tell that the two were brothers, by the bright eye color and wild hair. Their demeanor though, was completely different. The blond was obviously Roxas.

"Who are you?" The voice even sounded different. It sounded accusatory, ready for a fight. Holding up his hands in a neutral manner, Riku spoke.

"Riku, I'm just the summer volunteer." Sora rolled his eyes now, leaning back on the bed, hands on his lap. It was time for 20 questions, apparently.

"Who let you in here?"

"The nurse."

"Why?"

"I seem to recall telling you I'm a volunteer. " An annoyed look pasted over Roxas' face. Good, Riku was making a fine first impression.

"Where are you from?"

"Surely, you don't expect me to give out where I live to complete strangers." Riku said evenly, annoyed now with the questions he was being asked.

Who was the Roxas kid and why was he being so demanding? It wasn't like Riku was there to accost them in some way, he was just there to have a talk with them and see if Sora, the patient, would like to go outside the room on a stroll, or things like that. It i was /i his job after all.

"Roxie, down boy," called a smooth male voice from the door. Sora perked up definitely, a huge smile spreading across his lips. Riku turned his head to see a man with the wildest red hair he had ever seen that which was pulled back in a ponytail. The man was wearing all black, strange for summer, and carrying some candy in a bag.

"I came to give the sickly prince his sugar allowance for the day. The nurses even checked it for poison first, noble women," the man said, as Riku tensed a bit, as he walked around like he owned the place. Roxas had gotten up and removed himself from the bed, yanking Riku up by his shirt and pulling him away so the man could sit down and give a now excited Sora some candy.

Roxas pushed him deftly out of the room, suddenly, and growled when he turned to come back in. That glare was colder than ice, Riku thought, as he put his hand on the door, looking down at Roxas.

"What the hell is your problem, Blondie?" Riku started, "I was barely in there for two seconds and here you are shoving me out."

"I'll tell you what the problem is, tall person," Roxas shot back,"I told them that the only people who were allowed in here are the nurses, Dr. Toan, and Axel ( _So that's who that was_ ). All other people aren't allowed in here, okay? So get out."

Jumping when the door slammed quickly in his face, the nurse who shoved him in there came over and brought him back to the desk, sitting him down. The nurses were all smiling gently and patted his head.

"Welcome to ICU, Riku."

With on glance back at the door, the 18 year old sighed heavily, thinking he was really going to have his work cut out for him. Blinking he couldn't help but wonder…

Why was Roxas wearing eye liner?

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Hope you like! Please Review!! 


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